Exploring Life
by three-golden-mockingjays
Summary: The sequel to 'Survive This' begins! Katniss and her friends have finally made it through high school, and now it is time for them to tackle the larger and scarier world. Relationships will be tested, and lives will change as the world too begins to change. But hopefully, together, they can get through it all. Note: It isn't completely necessary to have read 'Survive This.'
1. Birthdays and Announcements

**The hopefully awaited sequel of ****_Survive This _****is here! Just a little note, while I have no hesitation to talk about Melbourne or Perth or the MCG or whatever, I have decided to keep more specific places fictional, hence Panem Grammar and Panem University. -L**

* * *

**Facebook**

**_Katniss Everdeen has updated her cover photo:_** Here's to the best Year 12 class ever. I love you all, you're freaking brilliant. I wish everyone the best futures, because you deserve them. We're done now. The rest of the world awaits. NO MORE SCHOOL - AMEN! - with Peeta Mellark, Thresh Broden, Glimmer Aeren and 10 others.

_Maysilee Donner, Gale Hawthorne and 19 others like this._

**Clove Flare:** You say this like you won't see us in a while… trust me Everdeen, you can't get rid of me that easily.

_Glimmer Aeren likes this._

* * *

"Have you put in your preferences?" Katniss asked Annie as she put her scalding hot coffee back onto the table with much face pulling and whinging over her freshly burnt tongue, "Fuck that was hot. Ew my tongue feels all gross! Annie I'm going to die!"

Annie rolled her eyes, "Yes Katniss, you are going to die," she said sarcastically, adding sugar to her own coffee, "See, this is why you get iced!" she held the cup up dramatically, and Katniss scowled at her.

"So, have you?"

"Of course I have," Annie snorted, taking a sip of her iced coffee, "Wow. My tongue feels so non-burnt."

Katniss held up her tea-spoon threateningly, but her smile gave her away, "Whatever Annie. What did you put down?"

"Bio-medical course first," Annie shrugged, "Can get me into teaching, or even medicine if I'm lucky, and willing to study for about a gazillion years. Still, I think I'm much more likely to succeed with the teaching thing. Could you imagine me in medical school?"

Katniss snorted, "You'd annoy the hell out of all those posh smart kids. And I'm yet to see a serious doctor in that kind of footwear." Under the table, Katniss' Converses nudged Annie's strappy heels, "Somehow I don't think they'd be appreciated. You couldn't stand on them all day, doing ward rounds and such."

"Of course I could," protested Annie, and in answer to Katniss' disbelieving expression added, "My feet have magical properties. I am born for heels."

"No humans are born for heels."

"I human are born for heels."

"You make no sense Annie. That grammar is atrocious."

"You're atrocious," Annie scowled lightly, "And a grammar Nazi."

"Annie, no-one could look past that use of the English language," Katniss said with a roll of her eyes.

"Yep," Annie stretched out with a yawn, "I'm definitely not medical school calibre."

"Amen," Katniss took a cautious sip of her coffee, and found it at a good temperature, "Bloody hell, I can hardly taste it! My tongue's turned to sandpaper!"

"Karma," Annie said cheekily, "What did you put down Miss Conscientious?"

"Bio-technical engineering," Katniss said promptly.

"Say what?" Annie did a slight double take.

"Cells and shit," Katniss said with a smirk, "I want to be a scientist. Are you sure you paid attention in bio? Or careers counselling? Or anything for that matter?"

"I must have, I got a pretty reasonable score," Annie said, lifting her glass as though in toast to her unexpected 90.

"That was luck," Katniss said, retaliating out of habit.

"That was strategic," Annie corrected her, "Choose the right subjects and your marks go right up."

"Well you're living proof of that," Katniss conceded her friend, finishing her tasteless coffee, "Well, come on. I've still got money begging to be spent, and I still have Madge's present to buy."

* * *

"How is it you already have the money for a place?" Cato gasped as Autumn opened the door for him and Clove, "You're so… independent!"

"Many tedious hours spent working in that bloody restaurant," Autumn smiled grimly, emphasising the word 'many,' "And many more to come if I'm going to keep paying rent."

"Cato's right," Clove said, looking up at the Happy Birthday Madge banner hung up, apparently also in awe, "I want to live here."

"Too late, Madge's taken it already," Autumn said, even though she knew her friend hadn't been serious, "She's a mess of a roommate. I've spent the last twenty minutes cleaning up the kitchen after she decided to bake brownies this afternoon."

Clove looked out of the western window, "This place is pretty close to Panem University. Back yourself to get into the most prestigious uni around do you?"

"Don't say back yourself, it makes you sound like a _Sportsbet_ ad," Autumn rolled her eyes, "And not meaning to be obnoxious here, but I got a perfect score. So you could say that, but preferably with less _Sportsbet_-ish wording."

"Whatever," Clove shrugged, "Sorry about being here early, by the way. The trains were actually on time. It was astonishing."

"That's alright," Autumn replied nonchalantly, opening the fridge and pulling out several packets of chocolate.

"Yum!" Cato bounded across her admittedly tiny kitchen in two strides, attempting to snatch the chocolate out of Autumn's hands, which were swiftly whipped behind her back.

"Not now Cato!" she chided him, opening the packets and breaking the squares into chunk, the putting it on a double boiler to melt.

"What's she doing?" Cato asked his girlfriend, who rolled her eyes, "Is that water going to mix with the chocolate? That's such a waste!"

Clove laughed, "Food tech should have been compulsory. She's melting it, you bloody idiot."

"Oh."

"Indeed. Oh," Autumn turned away from the stove with a smile, "Look, I saved a piece for you!"

Cato gulped down his chocolate like a greedy child, while Clove asked, "So, where exactly is Madge?"

"I sent her off to go buy us some milk, which in my defence, is totally necessary," Autumn jerked her head towards the fridge.

"That can't take her that long," Cato said suspiciously, and Autumn giggled, opening the curtains on the eastern window. The two looked down while the red head's laughter was heard from the kitchen. In the street below them, everything was in complete traffic jam mode. There were honks, swearing, headlights illuminating the darkness.

"Nice one A," Clove said appreciatively, "You're an evil mastermind."

"I know," Autumn said happily as she prepared the chocolate fondue.

"We're here!" came a rather dramatic trill from behind the door.

"What if we've got the wrong room?" another voice said, almost certainly Glimmer's, "You'll scare away whatever poor residents live here!"

"They're not answering," Marvel's voice said uneasily.

"Nice one May," the trio detected Haymitch's voice, "Let's just walk away…"

At this, Clove, Cato and Autumn burst into laughter, and opened the door, "Nope. You've got the right number," Autumn said with a grin as she ushered them inside.

"Told you," Maysilee stuck her tongue out at her friends.

Gale was the next to arrive, skidding through the door looking at his watch, thinking he was about twenty minutes late when in fact it was just fast. Katniss, Peeta, Finnick and Annie came next, Peeta carrying a cake, a bag of cookies, a breadstick and a bag of brownies, all apparently completely necessary.

"Where're Jo and Thresh? The bottle shop isn't that far away," Autumn fretted, "Madge will be back any second!"

There was a wailing of an alarm and Johanna and Thresh burst into the room dramatically, with newly purchased bottles of drink their hands, "We made it!" Johanna gasped, clutching a stitch in her side, "Do you really have to live five flights of steps and about a year away from the store?"

"It's a kilometre," Autumn rolled her eyes, and Johanna shrugged.

"Same thing."

"Know anything about that alarm going off down there?" Gale asked suspiciously and the duo nodded guiltily.

"It was her," Thresh said instantly, and Johanna smiled smugly.

"It was one of my finer moments. She was entering the building and we were still in the car park, so I attempted to break into her car, triggering the alarm, and so she had to come back, and we got in. Thank you," she bowed dramatically, and Autumn laughed.

"Yes Jo. A very fine moment from you."

The sound of the alarm went off, and a minute later a very frustrated looking Madge walked in. Autumn was the only one in the kitchen, everyone else was hidden in Autumn's bedroom.

"It would have been faster if I'd bloody walked!" she groaned, opening the fridge and putting the milk inside, "And then my freaking car went off…"

"Happy birthday!" the twelve teenagers burst from the bedroom.

Madge gasped, "Oh, I can't believe you guys!"

"We're pretty awesome people," Marvel said fairly, making her laugh.

They ate from the fondue until all the cherries were dipped and gone, and that was when Gale whipped out a box of strawberries, "For you. Like when we were kids. But these ones are free."

Madge kissed him softly, "Thank you Gale."

"Do we get some?" Johanna asked, eyeing the strawberries.

"Way to ruin a moment," Madge snorted, handing Johanna a few berries, which she dipped gratefully. After all the drinks had been drunk, and the cake had been very much consumed, Johanna cleared her throat.

"Uh, I'd like to announce something. Not to take away from Madge or anything, because we love her and she deserves a party but… you're all gathered here so I think I'll use the opportunity."

There was silence, fuelled by the collective curiosity.

"As you all know, I've always wanted to travel," Johanna began, "But I have very little money. And as you might also know, I have slight attitude problems. And recently I've decided I want to be a better person. I want to be someone who is patient, and someone who helps others. And our lovely school, Panem Grammar, has given me the opportunity. Remember how during assembly, crazy Mrs Parks would talk about all her work in Cambodia, teaching? That'll be me this year. I'm off to Cambodia for nine months, leaving soon."

* * *

**And first chapter, done! Just going to assure you now, there will still be plenty of Johanna, even in Cambodia. I have plans for her ;). Let me know, is this going well? Is it on track? -L**


	2. Airports and Degrees

When Clove arrived at Johanna's at six in the morning, she had expected to have to find the spare keys, (hidden very obviously under a flowerpot, very unoriginal,) march in to Johanna's room and wake her up.

She wasn't expecting to find Johanna ready with her suitcase and backpack, looking awake, alert and excited.

"Hello taxi!" Johanna greeted her friend, "So good of you to be here at this early hour."

Clove rolled her eyes, "I couldn't not see you off, you crazy bitch. You'll be missed. At least by me."

"Well isn't that a comforting thought, Flare-Hawthorne?" Johanna smiled as she took a bite of her muesli bar, hopping into the passenger seat, "Ah, we've had good times in this car."

"We've had downright dangerous times in this car," Clove agreed, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel thoughtfully before beginning to drive.

"And countless speeding tickets," Johanna contributed, "You can't forget the speeding tickets."

"Well I won't will I? They did come out of my purse," Clove reminded her, and Johanna shrugged, "You were behind the wheel."

"Except for the time we were both behind the wheel," Clove reminded her, and Johanna laughed, "Yeah, I'll miss you Flare-Hawthorne."

Clove arched an eyebrow, "The Jo-monster feels empathy? At 6:08 in the morning?"

"Don't act surprised," Johanna rolled her eyes, and there was a comfortable silence as they listened to the news.

"Expect delays on the way to the airport," the traffic girl began to say, and Clove changed channels in frustration. The news was also on there.

"_And disputes have broken out on the Vietnamese and Cambodian border. Militants in Cambodia…_" the two girls froze as they listened, "_Are raiding villages and fighting amongst each other. One particularly notorious gang tried to raid over the border and was attacked by some Vietnamese men, who were expecting the gang, who had apparently been growing in confidence and size for the past year, to come over. Several smaller scuffles have broken out…_"

"Are you near the border?" Clove asked promptly as a new voice came on with, "_And now for the sports news. In cricket, the Australian have defeated the West Indies…_"

"Nope," Johanna said, "I'm in the north. Kind of near Laos. Apparently those gangs are all over, but I should be fine."

"You sure?" Clove asked.

"No."

When they arrived at the airport, Clove got slightly tearful and Johanna tried to assure her she'd be fine, and nine months wasn't forever.

"We survived more that nine months of year 12. And that was worse than what I'm doing."

"No it isn't!" Clove protested, "And we were together then…"

"Look," Johanna said sternly, "We weren't even good friends for a lot of last year. For any time really. Don't get attached to me, I suck."

Clove laughed weakly. "I'll call you, and I'll Facetime you and such. Good luck with uni, okay? Just enjoy it, don't get pregnant, keep running, keep smiling and you'll be just fine."

"Okay," Clove said with a watery smile, "I don't even know why I'm crying, God this is so embarrassing…"

A taxi driver honked at them, yelling for Clove to move her car, "Shut up!" she yelled, and he obeyed promptly. "Look, I should probably go…" Clove said, and Johanna turned away.

"Bye."

"Bye Flare-Hawthorne."

Clove was back in her car when Johanna came barrelling back out of the airport, "Wait! Wait Clove, I forgot something!" Clove winded down her window and Johanna poked her face through, reaching inside her jacket, "I got these for you." She pressed a jumbo packet of mints into her hands, "Don't let an idiot stuff them all in your mouth at once while you're driving. You might have an accident. Don't worry though, the most mortality rates occur in the passenger seat You should be fine," And with one last joke, the cynical bitch who could make anyone smile left.

* * *

The day after Johanna left, the university offers came around, and the group decided to catch up, filling up Subway and thoroughly annoying the people working in there, with fourteen sandwiches to make all of a sudden on a relatively quiet day.

"Thanks!" Maysilee, who was the last to get hers, finished paying and walked outside, the thirty-seven degree heat hitting her hard.

"All right then," Clove said as they sat down in a circle on the grass of a neighbouring park, "Who first?"

"I'll go," Katniss said, then began to beam, "I got my first preference! I got bio-technical engineering!"

"Cells and shit," Annie informed the group, remembering her and Katniss' conversation in the café that day.

"Looks like me next," Peeta shrugged, gesturing around the circle, "I'm doing journalism. Which should be interesting. But of course, I'll be working at the bakery as well."

"Don't do journalism! Just bake constantly. Forever," Katniss burst out, and shrugged at the weird looks she was getting, "Your cookies are incredible. Enough said."

"Well I got a course. A TAFE course, but I've got a course!" Cato said excitedly, "I'm doing health sciences. After I get through this, I should get a university offering, then I can be a sports teacher, a sports coach, whatever. Maybe I'll work at Panem Grammar."

Clove laughed, "I can't imagine you going back to school."

"Who knows?" Cato shrugged, "Well that's my plan. Your turn Cloves."

"I'm doing psychology," Clove said proudly, "I want to be a sports psychologist."

"Who'd you work with?" Gale asked, and she shrugged.

"Athletes, tennis players, netball teams, AFL teams, whatever. Next!" Clove yelled loudly, military style, pointing to Haymitch, who put up his hands defensively.

"Calm the heck down!" he said, but meant it lightly, "I got accepted to a engineering degree. But, first I'm going to take a year off. I'm travelling, stuff like that."

After much, _we'll-miss-you_-ing and _where-are-you-going?_-ing and _can-I-come-in-your-suitcase?_-ing, Haymitch shouted everyone down and used his hands as though presenting Maysilee on a stage, "Your turn May."

"I'm doing a part time Arts degree, but my main thing will still be dancing," Maysilee exhaled with a shy smile, "I got a good score, so if it doesn't work out I should be able to get some sort of a degree…" she trailed off, "Point is, I'm taking the risk!"

There was a smattering of applause, everyone knew how much this had been stressing Maysilee, and that dancing was her main passion.

"I'm doing medicine at Panem University," Autumn said, trying to sound modest but evoking a, "You genius orangutan child!" from Thresh, who was next to explain what he was doing, "I'm studying Law. Which is good. I mean, I didn't think I'd get in."

Glimmer, who was next, cleared her throat, "I've got an Arts degree. I'll be studying fashion, but also doing a degree which will allow me to teach. Maybe I'll do something in the fashion industry, but if that doesn't work I have a back up."

"Or you could teach fashion," Madge pointed out, and Glimmer smiled, "Maybe."

"Yeah for Law," Marvel said, high-fiving Thresh, "We're in the same course. Same uni. How good's that?"

Finnick was next, "I will be swimming. And working. And studying to become a physio," he said happily, "Which, may I add, is what the lovely Annie is doing!" Annie smiled, and Katniss protested.

"I thought the deal was we didn't tell anyone until now!?"

Annie shrugged mischievously, "Katniss, you know that I am an exception to every rule ever. I'm too perfect for rules." Katniss scowled at her friend, who giggled.

"And that leaves us," Madge gestured to herself and Gale, "I am being a piano teacher, to get my money up, and I'll be dancing, and studying the Arts part time like May. We're being risk takers," she high-fived her friend.

"And me, last of all," Gale's smile appeared slightly uncomfortable, "As some of you might know, I've been hoping to get into an engineering course to work for the army. But," he said, everyone gave him their full attention, "I've decided that before I do that, I'm going to train as a soldier for a few years. Maybe work in the air force as a fighter pilot, maybe as a foot soldier. Then after I've had enough, I'll come back and do my degree."

"No you're not," Madge said quickly.

"What?" he asked quietly.

Katniss' eyes widened. She knew both Madge and Gale very well, and could read their signs. Madge was scared. Gale was mad.

"You're not going and becoming a soldier," Madge said, clearer this time.

"You're not telling me what to do," Gale said calmly.

"Gale, we have ANZAC day every year for a reason. People die when they become soldiers. The army don't need you as a soldier. You go get your fucking degree," Madge's eyes were alight with fire.

"I'm not going to do this with you," Gale muttered, getting up and walking away.

Madge sat in the grass, shell-shocked, "I can't believe him."

* * *

**Dun dun dunnnnn. Gale's off to be a soldier. Madge is mad. Johanna's flying to Cambodia, and Cato got a degree! Sorry for any boring bits, but I decided I had to get out what everyone was doing so it was clear for me and clear for you. It should get more interesting in the next few chapters. **

**If you have anything of even the smallest value to say, drop me a review, as I love to hear from my readers. **

**Also, apology for posting my last chapter about 3-6am in American time. I suck. I know. But I live in Australia! -L**


	3. Feuds and Goodbyes

"What are you doing?"

"Packing."

"No you're not."

"Enough with the denial already, "Gale sighed, and opened his bedroom door, behind which a very angry Madge was standing.

She barged into the room, sweeping her hair out of her face and placing her hands on her hips, "Gale!" she wailed.

"What?" Gale asked bluntly, and Madge fumed.

"You're packing! That's what!"

Gale sighed, "With fear comes disbelief, which causes denial, which brings on rage," he looked down at her small frame, and she glared back up at him.

"Oh stop trying to act philosophical, you war mongering psycho," she muttered angrily, eyeing the things strewn around his room suspiciously, "Where are you going to be staying?"

Gale snorted, "I'm not telling you, you'll go burn it down."

"I wouldn't burn it down!" Madge protested, "Because unlike you, I'm not violent! Though," she added as an afterthought, "I might cancel your payments."

"My point exactly," Gale grumbled, "You've gone all psycho protective on me. I'll be fine."

"You know what?" Madge threw her hands up in exasperation, sick of Gale not understanding her, "Maybe you will! But maybe, just maybe Gale, maybe you won't be okay! Did you ever think of that Gale? What would happen if you died out there? There are too many people waiting for you back home Gale. How can you even think of leaving them?" Madge began to cry, "Please just stay. You're not a part of the war, over in Afghanistan or wherever they'd post you!"

"I was thinking Afghanistan," Gale mumbled, and Madge cut him off.

"Shut up Gale fucking Hawthorne. I'm. Not. Done! I'm not done with you yet, you idiot! I want to have you forever. I don't want you to go fight and kill people when you don't have to! I don't understand you Gale! Why would you leave me, leave your family, your friends, and go fight a war that isn't yours to fight. That isn't even Australia's to fight? What the hell is wrong with you!" Madge wailed, and Gale rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky my mother isn't home, she'd have a fit."

"Don't!" Madge snapped, pointing her finger at him accusingly, "Don't you d-" Gale cut her off, grabbing her arms, effectively pinning them to her sides and kissing her in desperation, in anger, in frustration. He put her back down, and looked down into her frightened eyes, "I'm going Madge. There's nothing you can do about it."

And, knowing her place, Madge turned around and walked out of the Hawthorne house, possibly, for the last time. Oh, she hadn't thought it would end this way.

* * *

"I don't approve of this, if there's any doubt in your mind," Katniss said calmly as she turned the steering wheel sharply as she swung onto the freeway rather violently.

"Don't worry, I'm very sure of your feelings about me going to the military," Gale said heavily, "Why does everyone have a problem with it?"

Katniss raised her eyebrows, and Gale cursed under his breath, "Spare me the lecture. Stupid question."

"Stupid question," Katniss agreed, "Why didn't you get Clove to take you?"

Gale sighed, "Sorry. Didn't realise I was burdening you."

"You're not," Katniss said lightly, "Just wondering."

"It's because Clove hates me now, if you must know," Gale sighed heavily, "She's taken it badly. Talks about me splitting up the family, but feels bad for Madge most of all."

"I wonder why?" Katniss said with dry sarcasm, then felt bad at the look on his face, "I'm sure she doesn't hate you."

Gale looked at her pointedly.

"Okay, she might a little," Katniss corrected herself, "But if you were to change your mind and come back to them, if you were to realise that what you're doing is stupid…"

"I've heard enough of it," Gale cut her off, "Please Kat. I called you, because I thought you'd give me a break."

"Sorry," Katniss said tiredly, "Wait, why are you making me feel sorry? God Gale."

Gale didn't apologise.

"Is it really necessary to go train in New South Wales Gale?" Katniss tried the next question that had been preying on her mind ever since Gale had called her up asking for a ride to the airport.

"Yes, yes it is," he said simply, refusing to go into it.

"Are you running away Gale?" Katniss asked quietly, and Gale froze. There was silence in the old Ford.

"No."

"Okay Gale," Katniss said quietly, and nothing else was said for the rest of the trip. When they arrived at the airport, Katniss gave Gale a long hug, "I'll miss you."

He relaxed into the hug, "I'll miss you too Kat."

He got out of the car, and Katniss stuck her head out of the window, "You know? I don't hate you."

He smiled sadly, "Thanks Kat."

"Good luck soldier!" Katniss called out to his back, and he turned around with a grin, just in time to see her mock salute him and drive off.

* * *

Madge dialled Haymitch's number frantically. No answer. She tried again. Still no answer. She tried a third and final time, "Hey, what's up Madge? Is it important, because Thresh, Cato, Marvel and my paintball session starts in five."

"Yeah, it's pretty urgent," Madge said, her voice dripping stress, "We're in at the hospital, Maysilee and I. Last training session before Christmas and Maysilee's done her knee. She's in a shit load of pain, and her knee… it doesn't look right."

"Her knee? The hospital? But her dancing… oh shit. I'll be right over." And the line went dead.

"He must really love you," Madge said thoughtfully as she stowed her phone in her bag, "He's leaving paintballing."

Maysilee gritted her teeth as the nurse inserted her drip.

"Pain-killer sweetie," she assured her, and Maysilee gave her a tight nod.

"Do you feel like you can talk to me?" a young doctor asked, and Maysilee nodded.

"We believe you've done your patella tendon," he said shortly, and Maysilee cringed at the name, the injury dreaded among dancers.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a quivering voice.

"Honey, your knee-cap has roamed halfway up your thigh. Don't tell me that's still connected to the shin," the doctor said with a dip of his eyebrows, and Maysilee let out a soft gasp, "I'm sorry. You a dancer?"

"No, I just wear the leotard for fun," Maysilee answered shortly, and Madge gave a humourless, breathy laugh.

"Sorry about her," she said to the doctor, "Notorious sarcasm."

"My sister's just like that," the doctor smiled grimly, "My name's Dr. Boggs, by the way. No need to inform me I was cursed with a rather horrid surname. What was your name?"

"Maysilee Donner," Maysilee informed him, relaxing a little as the painkiller worked its way into her veins, "I'm eighteen years old."

"Birth date?"

"23rd of July, 1995."

"Okay Maysilee," Dr. Boggs finished his writing, "I need you to do a little test for me. And I warn you, it will hurt."

"Joy," she muttered as Dr. Boggs motioned for her to turn around on the hospital bed so that she sat on the edge with her legs over the side.

"I want you to straighten your leg for me as far as you can. Point your toes and straighten."

"I knew it," Maysilee said, biting her lip, "I've heard about patella injuries. As a dancer, they suck. My friend, her sister had one. Dancing career gone. And she said that this bit was very painful."

"Your friend was right, unfortunately. But I need to see the extent of the damage. Maybe your career is salvageable."

Maysilee looked at her kneecap, halfway up her leg, "Can we judge from the looks? Because I think I'm fucked."

"Please just try," he requested in a firm voice, not reacting at all to her swearing. He must have been used to it after all.

Maysilee bit her lip, gritted her teeth, and tried. She was screaming in pain with her eyes closed, and when she opened them, found her leg had hardly moved at all. "I'm really stuffed, aren't I?" she asked in a resigned voice, and Dr. Boggs' face tightened.

"We'll see. I mean, you're young, and I'm a bloody genius, so maybe you have a chance."

"Maybe," Maysilee repeated faintly as she sunk back into the pillows.

"Maysilee!" Haymitch skidded in, running around the side of her bed to hold her hands and put his face close to hers.

"Oh May, your knee!" They looked at the misplaced kneecap. They looked at the dent where it should have been, at her permanently bent leg.

"Yeah," Maysilee agreed, "It does look pretty bad from this angle."

* * *

**So basically, everything's fallen to shit. Sorry about the long update time, but I think this is how things will be from now on, with me being back at school. So sorry about that. **

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter, because though this story isn't getting much response, I really like it. However, if you could drop me a review, it would be very much appreciated and help me stay on track with what you guys want, because I had literally NO response to the last chapter. Did it suck? Is this story bad? Don't leave me not knowing! -L**


	4. Emails to Johanna

**To:** maysie.d , catowoods , , glim-glam , marvellous-m , clovenotclover , strawberry-girl , kitkat-12 , mellarkable3 , threshprince , that-ranga-you-love , .abernathy 444 , annie.c.123

**From:** jo-NOT-JOE-mason

Hello all,

Cambodia is treating me well. I can fee my bitchiness levels plummeting, it's rather shocking. Still, when I come back, I'm sure I'll still have some cynicism for you. Just to keep you on your toes. Because I care.

I'm living in a little house with a family who love me to death, (can you believe that?) and try to feed me most of their food, when they clearly don't have enough. Don't worry guys, I'll cheat food off you, but not these people. They are the Kim family, just three of them all up. There's Thy, the mother, (pronounced tee, this isn't Shakespeare,) and twelve year old Maly, (it's pronounced mahlee, embrace your inner Cambodian,) who is this gorgeous little girl who likes to do my hair. She reminds me a lot of Posy, Gale. Her little brother is eight, and his name is Sovann, but we mainly call him Poew, (say it pohew,) which means youngest sibling. I gave him and his mates a few toy cars and they've hardly put them down. No exaggeration there.

I'm an English teacher at the school, (bet you never saw that coming McCarthy you devil,) which is pretty hard, considering they are working on chalkboards and don't speak the bloody language. But hey, we're making progress. I mean, they're better at English than I am at Khmer, the national language, which I don't think I'll ever get. My brain isn't wired for language learning, Katniss, you were in my year 10 French class, and would understand that as well as anyone. Apparently, they speak a bit of French here too, which sucks, because, as implied in my previous sentence, I had horrid French skills two years ago, and they've gone no where but down since.

We don't have much in the way of food, rice is pretty basic, but at school, the kids do get one good meal a day, which some idiot put me in charge of. I spend the kid's math lesson before lunch chopping cabbage and capsicum to toss in with the noodles we supply. And trust me, there's a lot to cut. By the time I come home, my knife skills will be exemplary. Maybe I'll be able to rival you in food dicing Clove. Then again, thinking of your face right now, maybe not.

Now Clove, I know you're stressing about those militants we heard about on the radio. Thy has been able to tell me about them, says they've got some feud going on between them, those who hate the government, and those who also hate the government, but hate those who want to take over. So, including the government, there are three groups of psychos with guns running around trying to destroy each other and getting a kick out of destroying towns associated with certain groups. Though our town is affiliated with the second group of rebels, and they're winning everything, so we should be safe. Well, that's what I gathered through our language barrier. Thy's English isn't bad, she can understand a lot of what I say, but her speech isn't perfect. Far from it. I think the grammar of English bamboozles her, but hey, I can relate to that. My own language hurts my brain, which I guess is one of the reasons I'm not signing up for university right now.

I don't have much time, I have to go collect water soon, which, can I say, is a MASSIVE walk. Better me than them. At least I have shoes.

See you crazies in eight months and three weeks, (yes, I'm counting,)

Jo.

* * *

**To:** jo-NOT-JOE-mason

**From:**

Hey Jo,

Maybe you didn't get the message. Maybe you decided not to mention it, which was probably a wise move.

I'm training in New South Wales for the army. And everyone hates me Jo. I get why, but it still hurts. Katniss says she doesn't hate me, but eh, you never know with her. Needless to say, Madge and I are done. Not saying that in a suggestive way, just thought I'd confirm that for you. Just saying. I miss her, but a lot less than I would if I didn't have the constant distraction of training. They're brutal here, and it's perfect for me. I need to be somewhere where I don't know anyone, doing things that make me so exhausted I drop into an instant, dreamless sleep every night. No time for thinking here Jo, and it's just the way I like it.

Katniss told asked me if I was running away. I lied to her, told her no. I was running away Jo. I think you understand that. We knew each other very well, once upon a time. I've met a friend, Thom, and I think he's a lot like me, except he's fucked up his life a lot more than I have. Got his girlfriend pregnant and ran away. So I guess he's a bit of a dick. But I don't mind. We're more alike than you'd think, which I will admit, is a little frightening. I'd like to think I wouldn't do that if I were in his situation, but I really don't know. I mean, I don't even know what I'm running away from.

Why did I leave, Johanna? Everything was perfect, after all. And now I've run away, and fucked everything up. And the only way I can cope with that is by staying where I am, run away.

Who knows? Maybe I'll stay here forever.

We were messed up together,

Gale.

* * *

**To:** jo-NOT-JOE-mason

**From:** .abernathy

Hi Jo,

It's mainly Haymitch here, but I will have you know that Maysilee is sulking sullenly in the background, reading everything I'm writing. Needless to say, she doesn't approve of my previous statement. Your punishment for refusing to speak to her, sweetheart. Coping with this girl is doing my personality wonders.

See, Maysilee has snapped her patella tendon. Thing that attaches your kneecap to your shin. Pretty important. Her kneecap roamed halfway up her thigh when she did it, which was disgusting. Sorry May, I'm just speaking the truth. Anyway, that has meant she's in a knee-immobiliser, on crutches, and has about a year of recovery ahead of her. Sounds like fun, eh? Anyway, she's depressed because she won't be able to dance anymore, and is only doing a part-time Arts degree. So, she's done what any reasonable person would do, dropped the Arts degree and decided to come travelling with me.

This is where you come in Johanna. We'll be visiting you! Of course, you're our last stop before we come home, so basically you are second to Europe, Africa and Russia. Yes, we're going to Russia.

**The Russia bit was my idea. You can tell how enthusiastic Haymitch is, right? Still, that's his comeuppance for making us go to Africa. What am I going to do in Africa with my knee in an immobiliser?**

Thanks for the contribution May. Only took you a hundred or so words. And in answer to your question, what do you think the awesome safari Jeeps are for?

**See the stuff I have to put up with?**

Maysilee's a little short on temper at the moment. We'll have more details soon.

We miss you,

Haymitch **and Maysilee. You weren't going to write my name, were you Haymitch.** Remember your question marks at the end of sentences! **I hate you.** Love you too sweetheart.

* * *

**To:** jo-NOT-JOE-mason

**From:** kitkat-12

Everything sucks Jo. Oops, that's not how I am meant to start an email is it?

Hello Johanna,

This feels very fake, and I bet you're laughing at me. Whatever.

I'll give you a little enlightenment over what's going on. I'm sure you've heard about Gale's little endeavour. Madge and Maysilee are both depressed, Autumn's gone back into study mode, believe it or not. Cato and Clove have started teaching boxing, (we're all terrified they're raising an army,) Glimmer's got a job writing a column in a fashion magazine, (she's actually a fill-in while their usual person is away, she got the job because her aunt is the editor, apparently,) Marvel has developed an obsession with Aldi's and has taken to buying German biscuits in bulk, Thresh and Haymitch are bruised up from paintballing, and Annie and Finnick have ditched us and gone to do an ocean swim down at Point Hart's beach.

As for me? I'm sick. I carry a roll of toilet paper around with me because I have used all the tissues and hankies in the house, and Peeta made me soup and cheese buns, which were delicious, but I'm still sick. So you know, things are kind of grim.

On the other hand, it's three days until Christmas. We'll be sending you some stuff for Thy and Maly and Sovann and their school, and I guess you too. Just messing with you Jo, you'll be getting a present. Be excited. Though knowing us, there is always a chance that something will go wrong. So don't get your hopes up. And please Jo, don't get yourself hurt. I know you go on about how the militants aren't a problem for you, but seriously, WE. ARE. SCARED. So please don't die.

Ending on that pleasant note, goodbye lovely Jo!

xo Katniss.

* * *

**To:** jo-NOT-JOE-mason

**From:** strawberry-girl

Hey Jo,

Glad to Cambodia's treating you well. Melbourne's pretty average, at least, for me. I'm worried sick about Gale, not so much about him physically, I mean, he's only training, but about him and his mind. I don't know why he left, and I don't think he does either.

Something's not going well with him, but I'm yet to figure out what it is. Maybe I never will. The Gale that yelled and thundered at you and made you cry is back. Hazelle's worried sick too, which just makes me feel worse, though it is nice when she comes to Autumn and my apartment and does our laundry. Says she doesn't have anything else to do while Rory, Posy and Vick are at school. Says it's lonely in her house. And I guess it would be.

Glimmer and Clove have been working their butts off, and have managed to buy the apartment opposite Autumn's and mine, which is nice, and Cato and Marvel are living together in a place that is way too small for the two of them, and when Marvel goes shopping, the kitchen usually ends up overflowing. At least they're learning how to cook. Thresh and Peeta are talking about buying the apartment next door, but neither have enough money at the moment. Thresh has spent all his on his recent paintballing obsession and a lot of other crap apparently, and Peeta just bought a car, which left him pretty low on funds. Haymitch is really excited about travelling, but Maysilee's still tentative and generally depressed. It's a pretty big thing to have all your dreams ruined with a snap of your knee, I guess.

Oh listen to me. I'm rambling on about other people because I'm procrastinating talking to you about what troubles me in further detail. Gale. I know I've spoken about him already, but the ache I feel is in no way captured by those few sentences. You loved him too Johanna, and he broke your heart too, so maybe you understand. I thought we fell in love with different Gales, but maybe they were the same. Maybe that part of him that made you so sad was waiting there to get me too. I don't think he knew it was there. But it was, and it's hurt us both. I feel like we belong to an exclusive club. The 'hurt by Gale Hawthorne' club. I imagine there're a lot of girls around Melbourne who could join in. He's had his bad patches.

Well this is depressing, so I'm going to stop now. Have fun in Cambodia. It's so good of you to do this, and right now, I wish I could be there with you. Autumn said we're having a girl's night in tonight, that everyone will come over. I think that they're going to try to help me get over Gale. I'll be sure to let you know how that one goes.

All my love, Madge.

* * *

**Well that chapter was fun, if a little depressing. Stupid Gale. Let me know if you're still enjoying this, or if you have any ideas or criticism. I love you hear from you all. -L**


	5. A Night In and A Night Out

"If she's lost her keys again," Madge grumbled tiredly, snapping her laptop shut and getting up off the couch to answer the door. Her sweatpants dragged low on her hips and if she kept going at this rate, she'd have more hair fallen out of her messy bun than in it. No makeup, a tight singlet she must have had since she was thirteen and multitudes of Band-Aids holding together ballet blisters covered by striped socks. So much for partying on a Saturday night. This was how Madge wanted to spend the rest of her life. When finally made it across the room to the door, she was surprised to see Marvel.

"Hey," she said tiredly, too exhausted and generally down to feel self-conscious, "What's up?"

"Cato made me get rid of these," Marvel grumbled, walking into her kitchen and setting down an Aldi's bag on the counter.

"What's this?" Madge asked, disoriented and confused.

"Biscuits, cakes, cereals, a 3D puzzle of the Hermitage…." Madge rolled her eyes, but Marvel went on, unperturbed, "A bit of everything really. It's all delicious," he assured her, "Except for the 3D puzzle. Though I wouldn't be surprised if they've got some sugar sneaked in there."

"I'll keep that in mind," Madge poked through the bag, "Cato made you get rid of these?"

"He's not a fatty at heart like me. Glimmer isn't either, apparently, which is why I got sent over here."

"Good to hear I'm the fatty," Madge said with a strained smile, and Marvel laughed.

"I'm pretty sure it was Autumn who she intended these for. That girl eats baked goods like she breathes air, apparently. Not that you could tell," he said.

"Fair enough," Madge shrugged, and opened a packet of chocolate coated biscuits, "Oh my God these are so bloody good…"

"Told you," Marvel said smugly, and began to edge towards the door. However, just short of leaving, he stopped, "Madge?"

"Yes?" she asked through a mouthful of biscuits from her seat on the couch.

"Are you okay?" Marvel asked gently, and Madge exhaled heavily.

"I guess I'm alright," she looked down at herself, "Uh, I don't know."

Marvel shrugged, but maintained eye contact, "You're still sad," he stated simply.

"Yes," Madge breathed, "I'm sad. But you know what else? I'm angry. I shouldn't be angry. I should let it all go and grow up because I don't need him and I can live without him. And I can. With whatever mood came over him, it was probably better that we parted. But still, it hurts so much. I am so mad at him Marvel! It's like back ages ago… year 8 I think it was. Do you remember Leevy Marks? How we were so close, but we had that really messed up relationship? And we were competitive and we'd have this mutual fear of rejection from the other… that was just weird. Anyway, eventually, we cracked, and during the mediation session we had, I did not say one word against her. And I kept telling myself, _'Well done Madge. You're being the grown up. And you're a good person, you're not mad at her, you don't hate her. She's the bad one, telling the teachers I'm horrible.'_ Well, I was completely wrong, and it didn't take me long to figure it out. I was so mad I hadn't said anything at that mediation session. I wanted to tell her how bad she was! I wanted to tell her how bad she was! Of course, I ended up sending this horrible text message and she got all upset… needless to say I was definitely the bad one after that. Anyway, the point of my ramble was that, I'm sad. And angry. Just like I was with Leevy."

"But Madge," Marvel said gently, "Think about it. It hurts now, and it will, for a while after this. Maybe it will take a long time, maybe it will just take a few more days. But the thing is, it'll be better on the other side. After you and Leevy stopped being friends, you found a much better group of people, who didn't compete over the amount of exercise they did, or look at the other to see if they were eating before they did, like you and Leevy back in year 8. You'll find someone who isn't as violent as Gale, and someone who's a little more predictable and hasn't broken the heart of one of your friends. Okay?"

"Okay," Madge nodded slowly, chewing another biscuit.

"Oh," Marvel stopped at the door, "I forgot to tell you. Glimmer said to grab yourself a coffee or something, because they're planning to keep you up most of the night."

"Cheers Marvel," Madge raised her cookie as though in a toast, and the door closed with the kind of click that made you feel as though something had opened, rather than closed.

* * *

When the time came to invade the apartment on mission CHEER UP MADGE, Clove, Glimmer, Katniss, Annie, a reluctant Maysilee and Autumn burst in rather dramatically, making Madge jump and drop her cookies.

She scowled at them, "Good German biscuits, sitting there on the floor. Feel bad."

"Oh God," Glimmer rolled her eyes, "He's converted you."

"Yeah, yeah, I've gone to the dark side, whatever," Madge sighed with a bit of a smile, and openly laughed as she watched Autumn's eyes widen as she opened the pantry.

"Where did you buy these? Oh my God, so many! So. Many. Baked. Goods. I really love you Madge."

"Marvel brought them over," Madge said with a smile, "You should thank him."

"Or, you could thank Glimmer and me," Clove interjected, "For getting Marvel to bring them over."

Autumn chewed a biscuit slowly, as though contemplating something, "Nah," she said eventually, "I'm a bitch. I'm not thanking any of you."

Madge couldn't help but laugh at that.

"We have plans for you missy," Annie said happily. Her dark hair was wet from swim training, but it was piled into a classy bun high on her head, and she was dressed looking exemplary as usual, her long legs made longer by white heels beneath dark skinny jeans.

"Why do you always look so bloody good?" Madge asked her incredulously, and Annie laughed.

"If I'm dressed nicely, I feel like I have my life together."

Madge looked down at her sweatpants, "I think my life needs a little getting together."

"I think she's right," Glimmer said thoughtfully, "Let's make you look so gorgeous Gale will be kicking himself."

"If he isn't already," Annie contributed. Madge's face darkened at the mention of Gale's name.

"Uh, we'll give Madge a makeover because makeovers are fun," Katniss said quickly, grabbing the arms of Glimmer and Annie and dragging them into Madge's bathroom in a search for makeup and beauty products.

"Madgie, go have a shower," Autumn said softly into the ear of her friend, "Wash your hair for God's sakes, it's turning into seaweed. Let them spoil you, and don't stop them, if you can bear it. It's really important for them. I'll make you a coffee, you're gonna need it."

"Thanks A," Madge smiled at her friend as Clove and Maysilee starting talking on the couch, and Glimmer, Katniss and Annie started debating loudly, "All right, clear out you spastics. I'm having a shower, then I'm all yours."

* * *

"Glamour Gold or Vengeance Vermilion?" Glimmer held up the two bottles of nail polish, watching them thoughtfully.

"Seriously?" Katniss snatched them out of Glimmer's well-manicured hands, "Who names these things? Vengeance Vermilion?"

Glimmer shrugged, "It can go with the post-breakup theme. Vengeance on Gale! And red is such a dramatic, angry colour…"

"Oh, so we have a theme now?" Katniss snorted, "This is so movie clichéd."

"There is a certain sense of fun and unity associated with acting like a movie cliché. There are few moments when you need this, but post-breakup is one of those times. One of those times you have to act like a Hollywood American teenager," Glimmer spoke in philosophical tones that made Madge laugh.

"Honestly, you two are insane."

"What colour though Madge?" Glimmer asked desperately, and Madge shrugged, "Honestly Madge, I don't think you realise how much I love these colours. They are beautiful. I can't choose."

"Fine," Madge sighed, while Katniss cracked up over Glimmer's overwhelming love for nail polish, "Just alternate. That way, you can use both."

"No way," said Glimmer decisively, "Alternating colours look tacky. Vengeance Vermilion it is. Ooh! What about Sassy Saffron?"

Madge laughed breathily, "Glim, let's just stick with the Vengeance Vermilion, okay?"

"Sassy Saffron," Katniss said, shaking her head ruefully as she laughed quietly and began to file her friend's nails.

"Hey Maysilee," Annie began timidly. Maysilee was in a chronic bad mood, and people in bad moods scared Annie a tad, "You're the most gifted with hair out of all of us. Will you come make Madge feel like she has her life together?"

"Madge does has her life together," Maysilee grumbled, "Or at least, she's got her knees together." But despite her bitter words, she swung over on her crutches, having perfected her technique over her many days. She plopped down behind her friend, brush in hand, "Get me a straightener," she said after a few moments, and Clove was fast to obey. A few minutes later, she came back in, straightener attached to a long cord trailing across the floor from the bathroom into the main room to where the girls sat in front of the TV.

"Here you go Maysilee."

A little while later, once Madge's hair was a perfect styled and waved mane of gold hanging down her back, Clove broke the silence, "You know, there are a lot of other things straighteners are good for."

"What are you on about Clovely?" Annie raised her eyebrows as she changed channels, from_ Biggest Loser_ to _The Block_. "Damn, there's a lot of quality TV on tonight," she commented sarcastically, as someone's floor tiles didn't fit.

"What a disaster," Clove commented drily, "Oh, and what I meant was that well, if Madge was in the mood, hair straighteners are wonderful tools for destroying things, i.e. photos of ex-boyfriends…"

Glimmer laughed. Katniss sighed with rueful laughter. Maysilee shook her head, "For God's sakes Clove, she's still upset. Now give me that coconut stuff."

"No, it's okay," Madge said earnestly, surprising everyone, "I'd love to burn things with you guys."

"Yes," hissed Clove, fist-pumping in victory, "Now, I found these lying around the house and I thought you could use them…" she pulled some photos out of her pocket, which Madge snatched up.

She looked at them, sadly at first, then said, "Heck, I do need this. I do need to burn some shit."

Autumn suggested using the stove, as the hair straightener would probably break, or end up with residue stuck to it, and a visible flame was much more dramatic anyway. It started off with the photos, then escalated to old socks of Gale's, and a T-shirt of his Katniss found under the bed. While Madge burned away the evidence of the boy who haunted her, the other girls roasted marshmallows over the same open flame, feeding them to each other, their low talking punctuated by Annie freaking out after hers burst into vicious flames. Once the burning was done and the ashes wiped away, they moved into Madge's bedroom. Madge opened her closet, looking at the racks of clothes and feeling a sudden rush of energy.

"You know girls, how about we turn this night in to a night out?"

* * *

"Madge, can I swap my jeans for some dress shorts? I don't feel like this is a night out kind of outfit," Annie fretted, examining her reflection in the mirror critically.

"Of course you don't, Annie," Madge laughed, "I have about a billion pairs. Have fun finding them. Hmm, the blue or the gold skirt?"

"Blue," Autumn said, applying lipstick carefully, "And can I borrow your pink heels?"

"This is your apartment too, you realise. Your closet is on the other side of this wall," Madge pointed out, swearing as one of her nails chipped, "Really? I lasted about twenty minutes."

"I know that, Katniss and Clove are going through it as we speak," Autumn retaliated, "I just really like your pink heels."

"Go ahead A," Madge smiled, "If you zip up this bloody skirt for me. It keeps getting stuck."

"Autumn!" a voice hollered from the next room over, "Who do you like better, me or Clove?"

"What kind of question is that?" Autumn shouted back from the bathroom, "Why is this relevant?"

"Because we both want the same skirt," this was Clove's voice, "Come on. You all know I can wear leather better than Everdeen."

In the end, Clove won the battle of the skirt, with Katniss compromising for taking Clove's first choice of shoes. Glimmer conveniently found a dress of hers that Madge had borrowed, and Maysilee, while in a considerably better mood than she'd been in a while, said that she'd rather go home, that she was exhausted, and that she wasn't allowed alcohol due to the medication she was on anyway. Once she'd gone home, and Katniss had finally found a brand of mascara she wasn't allergic to, the girls headed out.

* * *

In simple terms, Madge got very drunk, very fast. Clove retired early, without having drunk at all, as she had a boxing lesson to give early the next morning, much to Glimmer's surprise, ("It's bloody Christmas Eve day!") and the amount of girls around to look after a very hurt and vulnerable Madge dwindled as Autumn realised she had work in the morning and Annie decided it was best not to turn up to swim training hung-over, ("I've done it once in my life. And that was the worst three hours of my life ever. Ever.")

Katniss saw a friend she hadn't seen in a while and ended up going to talk to her, and Glimmer was losing track of reality almost as fast as Madge. So when an equally intoxicated boy came over to the blondes in the early hours of the morning, with a dark complexion that reminded Madge of Gale, but at the same time, didn't remind her of Gale at all, Madge was an easy catch.

"My mate's apartment is just next door," he whispered drunkenly into her ear, "He's out. We'll have it all to ourselves."

Madge never, never could have predicted the answer that came out of her very own mouth, "Let's go then."

She didn't even know his name.

"'Night Glimmer," she slurred to her friend. Glimmer was not in the state to question her friend, and the only thought that was really managing to get through her muddled mind was the desire to go home and sleep. Madge went back to that dingy little apartment with the boy who was Gale but wasn't, and she gave herself up to him, too weak to think. Needless, to say, it wasn't a great decision.

* * *

When Madge woke up in the morning. She knew something was wrong. Not just the fact that she was in someone else's bed with the headache to conquer all headaches, but something else. Something bigger. And when she opened her eyes and looked at the boy lying next to her, she let out a strangled scream.

"Fuck," her mouth was sandpaper dry and the world spun as she struggled to get dressed. Maybe if she could just slip out before he woke up…

"Fuck."

He'd woken up too soon, and his thoughts mirrored Madge's exactly. Madge looked into Rory Hawthorne's eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me," she managed to get out.

"Oh my God, Madge fucking Undersee?" he groaned, looking at her in disbelief, "This did not just happen."

"But it did," Madge said in a quivering voice, "It did just happen. Oh my God. I just slept with the ex's little brother and I was so drunk off my face I didn't even realise!" She turned and vomited violently into the sink.

"Madge," Rory stood up, leaning heavily against the wall, "I cannot believe…"

"You're sixteen!" she wailed.

"Seventeen," he mumbled, and Madge made a face.

"Like that makes a difference! You're seventeen, and I'm nineteen! You're not old enough to be drinking, not old enough to be in clubs!"

"Fake ID," Rory said, his head hung in shame, "I've been having a real shit few weeks, this was my third night of…"

"Getting smashed off your face and taking random girls to bed?" Madge asked cynically, "Oh my God, you really are just like your brother."

"Please don't say that," Rory managed to get out.

"But you are!" Madge burst out, then winced at the extra pain brought on by her own shouts. She lowered her voice, "You are. Between me and Johanna, during that bad period of his, he got around with half the school. And now you're doing it too!" she looked at him with mournful eyes, "Is it because of him? Because he left?"

"Oh, you'd just love to make it about Gale," Rory said bitterly, "I know he's made you all depressed, but if you could just not bring him up? See, I'm trying to forget the fact that I slept with my brother's ex."

"So am I," Madge scowled, "And he hasn't made me depressed."

"Then why were you off in a club getting so drunk you didn't recognise me and on top of that, thought it would be a good idea to sleep with me?"

"You suggested it!" Madge wailed, "Oh, this is so fucked up. I slept with my ex's brother…"

"What do we do?" Rory slid down the wall until he was sitting against it. Madge mirrored his position on the opposite wall. They faced each other in silence.

"We could pretend it never happened," Madge suggested.

"Could we though?" Rory asked, his hand messing up his already dishevelled hair instinctively, "Like yeah, we could outwardly. Obviously, we're not telling anyone about this. But I mean, could we forget inwardly? I think I'm going to have fucking PTSD…"

"Of course you are, bloody drama queen," Madge groaned, "But I know what you mean. I… I couldn't forget this."

A look of horror appeared on Rory's face as he realised the implications behind her simple words, "Oh fuck, I wasn't your first, was I?" Madge nodded miserably, and Rory hid his face in his hands, "I don't know if that makes it better or worse."

"Worse," Madge groaned, "Worse, worse, worse. Bloody hell Rory," Madge moaned, getting to her feet, "You know, I'm just going to exit the apartment now, and try to get on with my life."

"Good idea," Rory agreed, also standing up.

Madge hugged him awkwardly, "I can't believe this. I actually considered you a little brother."

"Well, looks like you'll be the one ending up with PTSD," Rory said, and Madge laughed emptily.

"You'll stop doing this now, won't you Rory? No more drunken one night stands?" she asked him.

"Definitely," Rory said fervently, "If anything good came of this, it was that I'm never doing that again."

"Good," Madge said, wiping a strand of hair out of her face, "Um, hopefully I won't see you again until I've sorted my life out. Stay off drugs and uh… yeah, that's it."

"Bye Madge," Rory sighed, "Argh, I really don't know what to say in this situation."

"Do any of us?" Madge asked cynically, and exited the apartment. Well one thing was for sure. No more sadness, no more anger, and definitely no more alcohol. She was going to move on with her life, and was going to keep herself so busy that hopefully, the details of the night gone past would fade away.

* * *

**I'll be the first to admit that was a weird, messed up chapter. This is what happens when I stay up all night writing. And no, you're not the only person creeped out by the thought of Madge sleeping with Rory. I think I'm the one who'll end up with PTSD, and I'm the bloody author! **

**I know there was a massive gap between chapters. I'm sorry. The amount of shit going on in my life has been astronomical over the past few weeks. Maybe that's contributed to the darkness and weirdness of this chapter. **

**Drop me a review if you can be bothered. Did I just ruin and totally kill the story? I hope not. Christmas next chapter, you catch up on Johanna, and Madge is mentally stable once more - AMEN. Hope you're looking forward to it. -L**


	6. A Very Late Christmas

Due to the abundance of family reunions and Christmas parties planned, the group weren't able to catch up together until after the new year, and even then, it didn't feel complete without Johanna.

"Get out of the way, idiots," Maysilee had finally cheered up, and was threatening people with her crutches and jokingly insulting people in a truly pleasant manner. Her and Haymitch's plane left in three days to Moscow, and the excitement had finally set in, "This is my house, and I'll bloody concuss you if you don't give me that computer."

Madge gave up on guessing her password with a sigh of, "If it's not 'haymitch' or 'ilovehaymitch' I don't know what it is," and handed it over.

Maysilee logged on, saying jokingly to Madge, "It's 'ilovehaymitch4ever,'" and found Skype.

"Johanna!" cried Cato, tapping Maysilee's screen roughly, "There's her contact. Click Johanna!"

Maysilee snorted, "Someone needs to calm down," she said, taking her time to click onto Johanna's name, "There we go." There was the agonising wait as Skype made strange noises and Johanna's picture sat on the screen, a tanned girl with a shaved head holding a small Cambodian child in her arms.

"I miss her," groaned Clove, tapping her foot impatiently, "Pick up bitch!" As though Clove's voice had carried across the oceans all the way to Asia, Johanna answered the video call.

"Hey Mays- woah!" she jumped a little as she noticed the abundance of eagerly smiling teenagers huddled around the camera, pushing to get a better look at their friend. True to her profile picture, Johanna's head had been shaved, her skin gone a few shades darker, and she looked a lot happier than she had the previous year, "My favourite idiots," she said fondly, and there was laughter.

"I missed your insults, you nutcase," Thresh said happily, as Autumn tried in vain to push her much larger boyfriend out of the way.

"Thresh, I can't see!" her voice whined, and Johanna laughed.

"You're not missing out on much, A," Johanna said, "I'm sure you can tell I've been de-haired."

"There's a word for it," snorted Katniss, "Why the change?" "Lice," Johanna said, and the company listening to her raptly, laughed, "I didn't have it! I got my head shaved in preparation. Apparently the school is teeming. Which it is. Going through an outbreak at the moment, and we don't have any of that disgusting shampoo here. Not much of a loss, if you think about it, but most of the kids are so over it they cut their hair too."

Maysilee nodded, holding tight to her laptop, which was being knocked by the jostling teens, "I know what you mean. I fucking hated that stuff. Smelt of eucalyptus and stung like hell."

"You know the one," Johanna agreed, "Where's my dangerous driver? I can't bloody see her!"

"I," Clove's voice strained as she put all her strength into moving Marvel and Cato apart in order to slip between them, "Am right here," she wiped her hair out of her face and smiled at the girl on the screen, who smiled back.

"I don't miss you," Johanna said with a wicked smile.

"Neither do I," Clove said, and soon the two were both laughing, "I haven't had any car accidents since you left," Clove told Johanna with self-satisfaction, and Cato rolled his eyes.

"You did get a speeding ticket though. In my car."

"I paid, didn't I?" Clove retaliated.

"Nope," Cato answered, which shut Clove up long enough for him to talk to Johanna, "So Jo, any men out in the world of decent-hearted, volunteering people?"

"There's a sixty year old priest," Johanna said very earnestly, then laughed, "But I don't suppose that's what you had in mind."

"Age is just a number," Cato said dramatically, putting his hands over his heart.

"And jail is just a room," Johanna finished for him, quoting the well-known joke.

"You two are paedophiles," snorted Glimmer, pushing her way into the reaches of the webcam, "How's Cambodia?"

"I love it," said Johanna sincerely, then paused, "But Glim, if you're ever thinking of coming here, don't. If my hair wasn't shaved off, it would be shamefully lank. There isn't any hair product over here love," she smiled, "No moisturiser or makeup or nail polish. We're all happy to be ugly in each other's company," she laughed fondly.

"Doesn't sound like my type of holiday," Glimmer agreed grudgingly, "But I'm glad you're enjoying it. You can get away without hair anyway, your face is so lovely."

"Thanks," Johanna grinned, "That's nice, but probably insincere, coming from a model."

"That was like, twice Johanna," Glimmer protested, "And I'm not being insincere!"

"They'd love to have you back," Johanna said with a playful roll of her eyes, "And you know it."

"Ok, that's lovely and everything, but HI JOHANNA!" Madge pushed Glimmer out of the way and sat down on Maysilee's good leg, "How are the kids? It sounds fantastic, what you're doing. I'd love to be over there."

"Don't come, you've got a future ahead of you," Johanna laughed, "I've heard you're dancing well."

Johanna looked uneasily at Maysilee, she'd heard about how upset she'd been, but the blonde tossed the comment off with a flick of her waterfall of hair, "Well, she's gotta dance for the both of us now."

"Pressure much," snorted Madge, "But I was asking about you Jo. I was asking about the teaching."

"The teaching's getting better," Johanna said slowly, "I mean, it's so rewarding to see the kids learn. It's really, really hard work, but I think they'll make a decent English teacher out of me yet."

"We really need to show Carthers a clip of you teaching English," Peeta said, joining in the conversation, using the nickname given to their year 12 English teacher, "She'd flip."

"Actually, I think I am talking at an assembly when I get back," Johanna said, and laughed as though at herself, "Can you imagine me at a freaking assembly?" she put on a posh voice, "And so children, the lesson learned here is to be always be persistent and to believe in yourself." Everyone laughed at that.

"I'd come to that assembly," said Haymitch, "Just to sit in the back of the hall and laugh at you."

"Well you haven't changed," pointed out Johanna with a devilish smile, "That's what you used to do. Honestly, I feel sorry for the poor guest speakers at Panem Grammar. We're a fucking nightmare."

"And you are about to join the long line of speakers at assembly who get hated on," Finnick, who had his face positioned in the crook of Haymitch's shoulder, barely visible, gave her a winning smile, and Johanna gave him the finger.

"They will fucking love me."

"I'm sure they will," Annie fought her way to the spotlight, "You'll be a great relief from Carthers. Are you sure there are no boys in Cambodia under sixty?"

"Typical," snorted Johanna, "I see what's on your mind. But really, there's Matt, who is always on the phone to his girlfriend, and there's Father Andrews, our sixty year old friend," there was a laugh from Glimmer to punctuate her sentence, "And then there are about a trillion boys who speak no English and take no notice of me whatsoever and I none of them. There's my students, who are learning my shitty English, but they are about eight and I think that would be considered child molesting," Finnick snorted and Haymitch shrugged his face off of his shoulder with a smirk, "But, if you're really desperate for matchmaking, which you obviously are, I think some soldiers are being deployed here soon."

While Annie looked excited at the prospect of legions of fit young men, Marvel pushed his way to the prime position with urgency, "What?"

Johanna sensed his urgency and wisely kept her calm, shrugging casually, "There won't be many of them, there aren't any big problems. I think it's just a precautionary thing."

"Look Johanna, I apologise if I'm overreacting, but I'm worried. I watch the news, and I think things are getting worse," Marvel sensed people itching to shut him up, "Look, I'm sorry, I'm probably wrong. But please, be careful."

"Marvel thinks he's a genius because he's going to law school," Katniss said with a smile, successfully relieving the tension, "Uni starts two months from now. We'll be learning, and you'll still have a few weeks in Cambodia."

"Indeed, young Katniss," Johanna said with a sly smile, "But I'll have my friends."

She looked at Haymitch and Maysilee expectantly, who shook their heads, "We're only getting there a week before you leave, two weeks after Katniss and all our other intellectual friends start university."

"Well you suck," Johanna said with a pout, "There'll hardly be any time to train you up as budding teachers."

"Because we'd be great teachers," Haymitch and Maysilee said sarcastically in unison, and laughed.

As conversation went on, Marvel unearthed a pack of slices from an Aldi's shopping bag.

"Typical," Glimmer rolled her eyes, "You really are insane."

"Whatever you say love," Marvel said with a smile, passing the slices around.

"Sorry Johanna," laughed Annie, pretending to smoosh the slice into the webcam, "They haven't invented eating via the internet yet."

"God science, it's 2013!" Finnick said in mock exasperation, and Clove laughed.

"God science, it's 2013, and yummy food is still fattening."

"God humanity, it's 2013, and hooking up with sixty year old priests is still considered wrong!" contributed Johanna, and the whole group broke down into laughter.

"So Johanna, your present is in the mail," Maysilee said, straightening her screen, "But now, while you wait patiently, sorry,_ impatiently_, you can watch us give each other Kris Kringle presents, because we dislike you." Johanna stuck out her tongue, and Maysilee smiled smugly.

Katniss received boots from Annie.

"You spoil me!" the grey-eyed girl insisted, but Annie pressed the box into her hands and told her she deserved it.

Annie received some perfume from Maysilee, who wrapped the already beautiful box exquisitely, confessing to having nothing else to do with her life.

"I bet it stinks bitch," Annie said as she unwrapped it with a broad smile on her face.

"I made sure it stunk, just for you," Maysilee said sweetly, and hugged her friend.

Maysilee got a Myer voucher from Cato, who insisted, "For God's sakes I don't bloody know what to get a girl!" but Maysilee was sincerely happy with her gift and gave him a quick hug, trying to wrap her thin arms around his muscly frame.

Cato was given a new pair of running shorts from Marvel, who received the exact same gift from a completely oblivious Autumn.

"No bloody way," Autumn said, burying her face in her hands, "How was I meant to know what Marvel was getting Cato? I didn't know he even had Cato! Now they have the same freaking shorts! The exact same!"

"Are you kidding?" Cato asked, a huge smile on his face, "We look fucking awesome!" at which Autumn rolled her eyes, then gave in and laughed at the boys.

Autumn was given a beautiful cake from Peeta, who knew it was her favourite and had made it himself.

"That thing's not going to seethe end of the day," Johanna commented, making sure her presence was not forgotten, and Autumn scowled playfully at her.

Peeta was given a small, wrapped package from Thresh.

"Dude, you do not understand how spectacular this is," Thresh said seriously, taking it out of Peeta's hands in excitement and unwrapping it himself, "That's right. A fucking bread ornament. You can have a little dangling bread, in your new car. That is right, I bought you bread. Oh, and there's a footy ticket in there," he added in the end, which had Peeta stop laughing in order to check.

"Tiges vs North? Oh, it's on Thresh. Thanks mate, you're the best."

Thresh was given a football jumper from Clove, as she knew he had grown out of his old one, and he put it on instantly like a young child on actual Christmas day, putting all their presents into practise.

"You know you look stupid in a North Melbourne jumper in the middle of summer," Clove noted, and Thresh rolled his eyes at her, "That said," she went on thoughtfully, "You always look stupid."

"Cheers Clove," Thresh snorted.

Clove received a bright pink pair of boxing gloves from Finnick, and as a thank you, she promptly punched everyone, (lightly,) except for him.

"I take it you like them then?" Finnick asked with a smile.

Clove, who was busy attempting to punch her boyfriend, managed a quick, "You bet," before being put in a friendly headlock.

"Savages," Finnick and Annie said in unison with much incredulous head shaking.

Finnick was given a surf shop voucher from Haymitch, ("To help you pay for that board you wanted,") who received a little book called _The Backpacker's Guide to Africa_ for his trip.

"Don't worry," Glimmer said in an undertone to Maysilee, who was watching Haymitch exclaim over photos of people crossing raging rivers on fallen trees with nervous apprehension, "Point out the resort on page 112 to him. It's apparently got fantastic spa and massaging."

Maysilee grinned, "Thanks Glim."

Glimmer was given a pair of heels from Madge, who rolled her eyes over Glimmer's exclamations of their apparent awesomeness. "These could rival the sacred stripper heels," Glimmer was saying hushed and reverent tones that made Clove facepalm, laughing to herself.

"Just go on thinking they're expensive…" Johanna commented with a wink in Madge's direction.

Madge was the last to receive her present, which was a whole book of piano sonatas and a massive collection of teabags from Katniss, which had her hugging her friend tightly and hurrying to put on the kettle.

They all ate together, or more, Johanna watched everyone else eat while making cynical and very funny comments and trying, and succeeding in some cases, to get her friends to spit out their drinks.

"Look, I've got to go now," Johanna was saying all too soon, as there was a clamour as the teens crowded around for goodbyes. There were several choruses of, "We love you Jo!"s, which had Johanna commenting wryly, "I should run away to third world countries more often. I'm like a bloo dy celebrity."

"We'll call you for late New Year's," laughed Maysilee, waving to her friend, "Stay safe Jo." Johanna returned her friend's wave with a roll of her eyes.

"What else would I do, dumbass?"

* * *

**Sorry for disappearing on you! See, my plot bunny regarding this story decided to freaking RUN AWAY, and I was left with a severe case of writer's block. Then, Cat and I, (from owlcat92, check them out,) were sitting in German, when we noticed an illustration of a snake in our textbook. Namely, we noticed the plot bunny shaped bulge in the snake's stomach, and after performing an almost painless, (we killed it,) procedure on the snake, our plot bunnies were resurrected! If the story is a little mangled now, that will just be because they were partially digested by the snake's enzymes. Our apologies.**

**On a more serious note, I know not much happened in the chapter, (blame the snake,) but the next will have much more action: namely, the beginning of Maysilee and Haymitch's trip, and the arrival on troops in Cambodia, (ten points if you can guess the significance of this. Come on guys, TROOPS. ARMY.) **

**Hopefully, it won't be all too long until I'm writing again! -L**


	7. Soldiers

It was hot in Cambodia, just for a change. Not. Johanna pulled in the thick strap of her sticky tank top, wiping her hands on the white fabric that had long since turned brown. Just like the students in her school, Johanna had been working in the rice patties since four that morning, and at eight am, was finally finished. She trudged over to where Maly and Sovann stood, and stretched out her arms in a truly childlike fashion as she yawned.

The siblings turned when Johanna caught up to them, and in silence they began the moderate walk back to the house. After a few minutes of walking on tired legs, the sound of planes was heard droning overheard. Maly jumped, looking upwards fearfully. Johanna lay a comforting hand on her shoulders.

"Soldiers come today?" Maly asked tentatively, and Johanna nodded, and answered in faltering French, a language which the residents of the small town were quite fluent in.

"Yeah, that noise is just the soldiers."

Soldiers.

Their situation in their small town had worsened, to say the least. In the village where Johanna was staying, every was glad to be rid of Pol Pot, and was glad that the Khmer Rouge was over. Why wouldn't you be? He killed so many Cambodians all those years ago, tortured them in a place that used to be a high school then took them to the killing fields and shot them by the thousands.

But the neighbouring town, slightly higher up the mountains, was full of ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers, who still believed in the old ways. It wasn't that they were bad people, more like people who were stuck believing all they had ever been taught to believe in. It hadn't really been a problem, except that they didn't want to send their kids to school, as education had been abolished during the Khmer Rouge, but that was it, really. Until now.

Now the ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers were getting bolder and were trying to bring others around to their ways, the soldiers who supported the government were happy to fight it out, and the small group of people who hated those of the Khmer Rouge but disagreed with the government, the people that dominated the small town the Kim's lived in, were just as gun happy, apparently. Johanna groaned inwardly at the thought of it. She'd never thought herself to be a pacifist, but this was a stupid waste of life.

The crazy group of in-between people that dominated their small town had been winning, though Johanna hadn't even wanted to think about how they managed to get those weapons. But whatever it was wasn't working any more, and the ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers were beginning to think that maybe they could take over the village. Raids had taken place already, robbing and the burning of houses and the rape of one poor woman, and that was when the news had come that soldiers were being deployed to keep the peace. Australian soldiers.

Johanna sighed. It would be anything but helpful to think of Gale Hawthorne right now. Gale fucking Hawthorne. He wouldn't be out here, would he? Probably not. And even if he was, she, Johanna Mason, should be equipped to deal with him. She was tough, she was cynical, and she could be very mean. Gale had been out of her life for a long time, but she was pretty sure she would remember how to handle him if he were to turn up.

The defeated trio trudged into the small hut that was their home, eagerly grabbing small bowls of rice that were their breakfasts and most of their food for the day. Thy was gone, but Johanna didn't think much of it. She was probably of getting water, she figured, cursing inwardly to herself. Thy was getting weak, and the walk to get water strained her immensely, but was too proud to let Johanna do it. In order to beat her, Johanna would have to go at the crack of dawn, before going to the rice patties, and this morning she'd forgotten. The three ate in silence, until Thy returned, water and all, rubbing her sore back.

"You should have let me go," Johanna said with a sad smile, this was one Khmer phrase she'd mastered out of repetitive need for use. Thy simply shrugged, then began talking in rapid Khmer to her daughter, who nodded gravely.

"Soldiers here," she announced in hesitant English, smiling with pride at Johanna's thumbs up.

"Good job Maly. Let's go, it's time for school. "

Maly proudly clutching her new schoolbooks and Sovann continuing his tradition of refusing to part with his toy car, the odd trio began their walk to school, both children wearing pairs of shoes that Johanna had managed to collect before she left Australia. The school was not far, and they got there quite quickly, where the children ran off for their music class and Johanna greeted some of her students at the door as they were a little early.

During music class Johanna tended to stick to the corner of the room, sometimes playing the old tambourine they'd gotten their hands on as required, but today she was called up to help with pronunciation as they were learning an English song. After about ten good minutes of asking, "Can you say sheep?" with unsatisfying answers of "Seep," it was time for English, and Johanna walked up to the large blackboard with a worn down piece of chalk gripped tightly in her already sweaty hands.

"Good morning everyone," Johanna said with a small smile, still not used to being an authority figure.

"Good morning Miss Mason," the kids chorused in slowly improving accents. Johanna faltering explained that they were going to go over numbers, and then the class and Johanna began to slowly count together, but didn't get past three due to an inability of the children to pronounce the letter 'r' coupled with the sound 'th.' After eventually saying that she'd tackle pronunciation at a later date, the lesson was concluded and Johanna walked outside on her way to the kitchen to begin the lunch of the children.

"Fancy seeing you here."

Johanna froze, and turned slowly to face the speaker. "No, she murmured quietly in disbelief, "You're here?" she placed one hand on her hip, "Really?"

"Oh come on Jo," the smile on Gale's face wasn't right, "Aren't you pleased to see me here?"

"No," Johanna shook her head numbly, "No, I'm not."

"Why not?" Gale pouted childishly. It was all so wrong, a soldier acting like a five year old.

"Because you belong in Melbourne," Johanna said firmly, beginning to walk away.

"It's not, Johanna," Gale said determinedly, striding after her, "I have as much right to be here as you do."

Johanna scoffed, "Gale, we're not talking rights here, we're talking purpose. I came over here to make life better for these kids, and to turn myself into a better person. What about you Gale? Because it seems to me as though you have left a whole bunch of people who love you back in Melbourne so that you could march around Cambodia with a gun."

"I thought you would go easy on me Johanna," Gale said pitifully, "I didn't think you hated me as much as the others do."

Johanna rolled her eyes, which seemingly only encouraged Gale in his pleading, "Johanna, I need someone to go easy on me. Everybody hates me," with a stony face and a strong, muscled body, Gale managed to look strong while his voice echoed plaintive sorrow.

"I have to go Gale," Johanna said with a resigned shrug, "I might see you around."

"Yeah, maybe," Gale replied with another shrug, "Bye Jo."

"Bye," Johanna was still slightly bemused, "For now."

* * *

"Yo Haymitch! Carry my suitcase!" Maysilee yelled down the flight of stairs. She was in fine spirits and was making the most of her disability.

"You can't get it out to the taxi?" Haymitch emerged at the base of the stairs, panting and laden with bags. Maysilee gestured to first to her knee immobiliser with her crutches, and next to the three flights of stairs zigzagging down to where a miniscule Haymitch stood.

"Don't you have friends to do these things for you?" Haymitch began lugging the array of bags and suitcases towards the door.

"They're packing more stuff," Maysilee indicated to the door of her apartment behind her where Glimmer, Autumn and Katniss were running around hectically, the only ones available for helping on this windy Monday night.

"How much stuff do you need?" Haymitch asked sceptically, still struggling with a particularly over-stuffed barrel bag of Maysilee's.

"Apparently more," Maysilee said with a cheerful shrug, smug in the absence of work for her to do while everyone else ran around laboriously.

"We're just adding more things to your in flight bag!" came Katniss' voice from inside the apartment.

"They're just adding more things to my in flight bag!" Maysilee happily relayed this message down to Haymitch, who shrugged reasonably, "Well that's alright then."

Glimmer emerged victoriously from the apartment with the bag in her hand and threw it onto Maysilee's shoulders, "Onwards young Maysilee!" she cried melodramatically, then together the duo began a rather anticlimactic and very slow descent down the stairs with Katniss and Autumn racing ahead to give Haymitch a hand with the bags - the taxi driver was getting impatient.

"Sorry, she's got her knee in an immobiliser and three flights of stairs to get down," Haymitch said to the short-tempered man as he helped to load the bags into the taxi. Eventually everyone was in the taxi, Maysilee sprawled in the back with her crutches angled haphazardly against the door.

"Naw, don't go!" whined Glimmer, hanging through the taxi window.

"We'll miss you," said Katniss with a reassuring smile which Maysilee returned, excited and rather caffeine driven. The taxi driver, with a snarl worthy of Clove, attempted to close the window on Glimmer, who was quick to jump back with widened eyes that had Autumn and Katniss in gales of laughter but Maysilee and Haymitch looking quite alarmed at the apparent evilness of their taxi-driver.

Amidst their laughter, Katniss managed a wave and Autumn a, "Bye guys!" as the taxi pulled off into the night.

After a very awkward drive to the airport, a slow and clumsy exit of the car and a long hold-up in customs, who seemed to think Maysilee had drugs concealed within her crutches, the now weary duo made it onto their plane at 2am, holding hands and grinning with feverish excitement despite the lateness of the night.

"Please fasten your seatbelts and stow your trays tables up," the robotic voice told the passengers, who complied with nervous smiles, "Crew, take your seats once aircraft is prepared for take-off."

"Haymitch!" squealed Maysilee excitedly, holding tightly to her boyfriend's hand, "We're going on an adventure!"

* * *

**I am generally very opposed to multiple exclamation marks, but I thought they were necessary there. Sorry about the wait, if there's anyone who actually waits for these chapters. I am really eager to get the next chapter of 100 Ways to Cope With Cancer up, if any of you are following that, but I am currently spending all my time in rehearsals for a bloody musical, so we'll see how that goes. Thanks for reading, as always! -L**


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